Accounts From the Tower
by penvision
Summary: Group of one-shots in multi-genre, mostly humor. Fifteen: A little BBRae piece because I love those two. Memories are as real as you make them.
1. oragnize: adapt, adjust, negotiate

Quick author's note, just to get it out of the way. I wrote this in about an hour on-off typing. No thought to it beforehand, the idea just came out of nowhere and I went with it. Short but hopefully entertaining, and I plan to add more chapters of random enjoyment.  
  
Disclaimer: I don't own Teen Titans, if I did then the characters on the show wouldn't be so OOC.  
  
"All I'm saying is that your disgusting germ-infected red meat should go on the bottom shelves." Beast Boy pulled open a drawer nestled in the depths of the refrigerator and dropped Cyborg's red meat inside.  
  
Cyborg shoved Beast Boy to the side and snatched the wrapped meat from the drawer, putting it on the top shelf while shoving the tofu dogs into the drawer. "And all I'M saying is that more people in this place eat my crappy 'germ-infested' meat than your crappy tofu and soy… crap."  
  
Raven looked up from her book that she was trying to read while sitting at the island, secretly amused. "I see your vocabulary has expanded, Cyborg."  
  
He glared at her and held his mechanical arm up, "hey, I have an entire dictionary programmed in this thing!" Beast Boy rolled his eyes and quickly switched the food products while Cyborg was distracted, smiling in triumph. "Besides- BEAST BOY! I know you're not touching my food!"  
  
Beast Boy slapped his hand on the meat and rubbed it around, smiling in victory, "HA! Touching, touching!" He dodged Cyborg's fist and it painfully collided with the floorboards, shaking the kitchen.  
  
The fight was put on brief hiatus when Starfire drifted into the doorway and examined the room, searching for her friends. "Robin would like to know if you two have completed your task of re-organizing the refrigerator."  
  
Beast Boy and Cyborg's voices drifted to her ears in unison; "NO!" The girls shared a look (which the boys secretly dubbed the 'we're questioning your mental stability' look) as a packet of tofu dogs flew overhead and collided with the defenseless cabinets. A green chicken hopped onto the island, red meat in beak, and dashed towards the doorway Starfire occupied, closely followed by Cyborg.  
  
"Beast Boy, you little chicken! Come back here or I'll throw all of your tofu out the window!"  
  
"Bucka!"  
  
All three disappeared from view but their progress could be tracked by the crashes and bangs echoing throughout the hall.  
  
Raven inwardly sighed in exasperation and closed her eyes. The contents of the refrigerator were encased in a black vapor as they silently shifted. Her eyes reopened and the door shut with a satisfying click. Why she did not do that 35 minutes ago when Beast Boy and Cyborg first appeared, Raven wasn't sure. When the Teen Titans first formed she would have solved the problem in the most efficient way possible, but today she just watched as two of her teammates jostled each other and threw in smart comments when she felt like participating.  
  
Cyborg returned carrying a squirming Beast Boy by his ankles in his robotic hand and his prized meat in the other. He kicked the bottom of the fridge and the obeying door swung open, surrounding him in yellow light. He gazed at the organized shelves in front of him, drinks on the top left, leftovers stacked to the right, cheese and lunchmeat stacked in a drawer below, bottles and condiments in the door (except the mustard, which sat beside Beast Boy's soy milk), etc. "Yo, Raven! What'd you do to my fridge?!"  
  
"I organized it."  
  
Beast Boy fell haphazardly to the floor as Cyborg's eyebrow rose in contemplation. He looked at the red meat in his hand, then to the refrigerator, and back to his meat. "Oh, thanks. Uh… Raven?"  
  
"The drawer that says meat, Cyborg."  
  
"…Right." 


	2. Fire: hearth, embers, flames

Author's note: Ever hear the saying 'write what you know?' …Hehe… Yeah, well this is what I know. …Sorry.  
  
Disclaimer: I don't own Teen Titans, but I bet Bill Gates could buy them if he wanted.  
  
…  
  
Cyborg leaned forward and scrutinized the giant TV screen, his fingers flying over the buttons on the game controller. His blue and white race car zipped past Robin's red and green one. "Yes! Cyborg takes the lead! Looks like we're watching 'Fast and the Furious' tonight!"  
  
Robin bit his cheek and slammed his thumb against the 'a' button, his car pulling even with Cyborg. "There's no way we're watching that again! Tonight's gonna be all about the 'Mission: Impossible!'"  
  
Beast Boy sat between them to keep them from hitting each other and mulled over which movie was worse. Raven entered the living room, her hood and cape wet, and sat down.  
  
"What happened to meditating?"  
  
She pushed her hood back and turned her attention to the screen. Rain trickled against the windows and a flash of lightning struck in the distance. "Storm: rain, wind, lightning, tall exposed roof."  
  
"Does anyone know how to properly cook this?" Starfire entered the living room, holding up a white, grade AA egg.  
  
Robin didn't even turn around before replying, "how do you want it cooked?"  
  
Starfire opened her mouth to reply when a large bellow resounded throughout the tower.  
  
BOOM! (See? That was supposed to be the bellow of thunder, it's one of 'em omonano… amonpia… fancy words that represent a sound like- eh, you get the point) The lights flickered out and the TV screen went blank precisely when the finish line came into view.  
  
Cyborg sprang up from the couch and dropped his controller, "NOOOOOOOO!"  
  
After approximately half a minute of sitting in the dark all five Titans were bored beyond belief. "Now what do we do?"  
  
…  
  
Robin held up the egg. "Ok, whoever wins this argument technically wins the videogame tournament and chooses the movie. I say boil."  
  
Raven resisted the urge to remind them that the power was out and the DVD player did not run on fairy dust.  
  
"You can't do that! It's a poor, defenseless egg!" Beast Boy reached for the egg in vain.  
  
Cyborg rolled his eyes. "Cool it, BB. I'm in, and I say it will explode."  
  
"Boil."  
  
"Explode."  
  
"Boil!"  
  
"Explode!"  
  
Robin tapped his foot impatiently while rolling the egg in his palm to keep from lashing out. "Fire cooks outside in, so it would boil!"  
  
Cyborg rolled his eyes, "no, I'm positive that the egg would explode."  
  
The five Teen Titans were still gathered in the living room, a vicious electrical storm raging outside. Robin and Cyborg stood in front of the fireplace, a crisp, brilliant fire burning merrily despite the weather. A few candles placed around the room added to the fire's illuminating light.  
  
Beast Boy watched Robin twirl the egg , his eyes wide and hands shaking in his lap. "Why can't you guys just leave the poor egg alone?!"  
  
Raven placed her hand on his back in a rare show of comfort, "it's already pasteurized, Beast Boy, they can't hurt it."  
  
Starfire did not entirely grasp the conversation, but tried to help ease Beast Boy's anxiety, "and maybe if we're lucky, BB, the egg will heat up slowly and hatch! And then we'd all have a baby chick in the fire, jumping around and chirping and we'd all be so happy with our new pet until… it… catches on fire, then it will run around burning up and screaming in chick agony until it is roasted and then Cyborg will eat it… does that story help?"  
  
Beast Boy and Raven both turned to look at her with a mixture of astonishment and horror.  
  
"…Boil."  
  
"Explode."  
  
Robin opened the screen and carefully placed the egg in the hearth before shoving it into the intense fire with the poker. The room fell silent except for the crackles and pops from the fireplace as all members watched the egg in anticipation.  
  
They watched.  
  
They stared.  
  
Beast Boy turned away in dismay as Raven rubbed small circles on his back absentmindedly.  
  
They inspected the egg as time ticked by. Seconds turned into minutes. Minutes turned into… actually minutes didn't turn into anything because Cyborg impulsively grabbed the poker.  
  
"Maybe you didn't push it in far enough." He leaned his head in close to the fire, the soft glow of the flames illuminating his face. His hand jerked the poker forward and it stabbed the egg.  
  
CcracK! SPLAT!  
  
The four remaining Titans stared as Cyborg lifted his head from the fire and turned to stare back. White yellow egg yolk replaced the glow of the flames as it dripped off of his eyebrows, nose, and chin. Slowly he lifted his hand and wiped the yolk off his face before glancing at it.  
  
Robin slapped his back, "hey, you were right, it did explode!" 


	3. sick: feeble, feverish, ill

Author's note: As of now I am suffering from that stupid flu bug that's going around. Trust me, this one would knock an elephant out. This is a dedication to and cruel torture for our wonderful female teen titans. And maybe slight romance, I haven't technically written it yet so I don't know… Anyway, uh… summary! Right. The male titans, all earthlings, get the flu after a long hard battle, who's gonna take care of 'em?  
  
Disclaimer: I don't own the Teen Titans. But the computer's mine, so get over it.  
  
…  
  
Beast Boy lay on the couch in the living room, a thermometer sticking out of the corner of his mouth and a blanket tucked carefully around him. Cyborg lay at the other end on his stomach. He was snuggled under five blankets since one didn't cover him completely. Next to the shape-shifter and uh… cyborg were boxes of Kleenex, three full and about twenty empty. The huge coffee table was covered with empty mugs previously containing Raven's herbal tea (sugar added for the boys) and approximately 27,385 used tissues. Robin, who had previously been on the couch with his other teammates, was laying on his back on the floor, staring at the ceiling in numb acceptance, and debating whether to reach for a blanket or a tissue.  
  
A minute later he felt himself levitated off of the ground and back onto the soft couch. He continued to stare at the ceiling, because closing his eyes hurt and moving his head hurt and thinking hurt. He vaguely recognized the pile of tissue and empty mugs float over his head towards the kitchen, surrounded by a black mist. Suddenly a smiling Starfire appeared in his view. He tried to smile back, but… that hurt, too.  
  
He watched without much focus as she shifted her gaze from him to the kitchen. "Raven, Robin looks discomforted, what should I do to ease his pain?"  
  
Robin didn't hear the reply, he distantly wondered how many questions Starfire had asked Raven in the past fifteen minutes alone. Starfire faced him again and the smile returned to her eyes as she covered him with a blanket. His blanket. The one he was going to reach for because it was his favorite. She knew that.  
  
"ACHOO!" *POP* The couch shifted with Beast Boy's sneeze as he morphed into a rhino. A second later he returned to human form, like every time he sneezed.  
  
"ACHOO!" *POP* A green flamingo. Human.  
  
"A-ACHOO!" *POP* A horse. Human.  
  
"ACHOO!" *POP* A kangaroo. Human.  
  
"ACHOO!" *POP* A mole. Human.  
  
"Raven! Beast Boy is sneezing again! What should I do to help him?"  
  
"ACHOO!" *POP* A bear. Human.  
  
Beast Boy blindly reached for a tissue, hoping to find one before he sneezed again. His hand grasped thin air one minute, a soft tissue the next. He could feel her through it and smiled a little before-  
  
"ACHOO!" *POP* A lamb. Human.  
  
Starfire un-tucked the blanket and grabbed Beast Boy's shoulders, rolling him onto his stomach like Cyborg (don't ask me why that works with some people, but shifting positions can sometimes stop sneezing attacks *shrugs*). "There you go, my friend." She carefully re-wrapped the blanket around his shoulders and gave him a smile.  
  
"Raven, is there anything I can do to assist you?"  
  
Robin saw Starfire nod in his peripheral vision before he felt a thermometer shoved under his tongue. He heard a distinct groan that had to be Cyborg and knew that he was not alone in his suffering. He did not mind the three minutes of thermometer pain anymore. Once every four hours, he knew, this was the fifth time.  
  
After the thermometer was removed his head was lifted by one of Starfire's hands while a mug of herbal tea, with added sugar, was brought to his lips. He felt the liquid sooth his throat every time he swallowed and a light mint aftertaste was left in his mouth. Raven had added cough drops to this batch, or maybe Nyquil? Starfire led his head back onto the couch and wiped his forehead with a damp washcloth. She began to remove it but impulsively changed her mind and left it. Robin felt her leave his side and knew that she was going to check on Cyborg.  
  
Cyborg let out another groan as his thermometer was removed. Starfire looked over to Raven and sighed, "102, Robin's 103. They should be going down, should they not?"  
  
Raven looked up from Beast Boy (102) and gave Starfire a slight smile. "It's ok, their bodies are just fighting the virus, their fevers will break by tomorrow."  
  
…  
  
Deep into the night, after the first hours of morning had passed but long before the sun rose, she sat awake. Watching, waiting, loyal, patient, empathetic. The living room had been blanketed in a calm and silent darkness soon after the setting of the Autumn sun. Warm, comfortable, filled with the soothing aromas of tea and lavender and cinnamon and a worn sense of belonging only the most loved rooms had, a feeling of home.  
  
On the couch sat Raven, awake, a few feet away lay Beast Boy covered from toe to chin in a tan blanket. He had returned to laying on his side after falling asleep, his mouth open to allow oxygen that could never pass through his stuffed nose, hair disheveled, and a face of serenity. Not far from him lay Robin, still on his back but well tucked under an old blue comforter. He slept lightly, breathing shallow but even, eyes shifting in dream, forever watching the ceiling because, though he would never admit it, it hurt to move.  
  
Starfire was not far from his side. She had fallen asleep sitting up and watching with Raven, her head tilted back. Raven lifted her hand and muttered a few words of practiced meditation. A bedspread of deep forest green lifted from the coffee table and wrapped around Starfire's shoulders, hugging her small form. Cyborg was last, at the very end of the long couch. Only the top of his head was visible from under a mound of blankets haphazardly thrown on to cover his massive form. A deep snore resounded from his chest, rumbling and rich. Luckily the blankets smothered the sound, and the other three continued their sleep.  
  
Between sunset and sunrise Raven sat, surrounded by disease and darkness, persistently watching her allies. Fevers broke and chilled dreams followed for two, but one still suffered rising heat and sweat attacks. For him her eyes stayed open, for him she watched. 


	4. car: hardtop, hatchback, heap

Author's Note: I have absolutely no idea where this came from. I don't even know what the inspiration is for this sucker. Just… popped into my head and wouldn't leave!  
  
Disclaimer: I don't own the Teen Titans or a pet kangaroo. But someday… someday…  
  
…  
  
Cyborg pulled to the side of the road and glared at Beast Boy. "You, not a word."  
  
Red and blue sirens flashed behind them, lighting up the dark street as Cyborg and Beast Boy sat in the 'latest edition to the team,' the car Cyborg and Raven had been working on for months.  
  
The police officer, a balding man in his late forties with thick shades covering his eyes, tapped his baton against the window. Beast boy held back a laugh as Cyborg slowly rolled the window down.  
  
"There a problem, officer?"  
  
The graying mustache twitched. "Yeah, there is. Do you have any notion of how fast you were going, son?"  
  
Beast Boy's hand shot into the air, "I do! I do!"  
  
Cyborg silenced Beast Boy with a well aimed punch before turning back to the officer. "No, sir, I don't."  
  
"125 miles per hour, the speed limit in this zone's 25, that's 100 miles over, kid. This next question's real important now, ya hear? So pay attention: can I see your license?"  
  
Cyborg gulped and sweat-dropped. "Hmm… Uh, actually, officer, sir, I'm a… um… a superhero. I'm part of the Teen Titans. So-"  
  
The graying mustache twitched. An eyebrow raised. "Superhero, eh? Do you have any idea what the offence for driving in without a license in California is?"  
  
Beast Boy's hand shot into the air again. "I do! Right here!"  
  
Cyborg growled and socked Beast Boy in the stomach. "Yo, BB, shut UP!"  
  
"Can I see some registration?"  
  
Cyborg nodded and pointed to Beast Boy. "BB, get me the registration, it's in the glove compartment."  
  
Beast Boy nodded and flipped open the glove compartment. He shoved his hand inside and ran it over random items. "Uh.. Cyborg? 'S not in here."  
  
"Beast Boy, are you telling me you LOST THE REGISTRATION?!"  
  
Beast Boy's jaw hit the ground. He put a hand to his chest as his eyes grew wide. "Me? What makes you so sure I lost it?"  
  
Cyborg smacked his forehead in aggravation. "Because you're you."  
  
"Look… just because I lost the remote…"  
  
Cyborg counted on his fingers, "and the video game, and the toothpaste, and my football, and the waffle iron, and Snoop cd, and-"  
  
The officer rolled his eyes, though technically nobody knew because he was wearing shades, and sighed. "Can you just tell me where you got the car?"  
  
Cyborg turned his attention from Beast Boy to the officer. "Got it? I didn't get it from anywhere!"  
  
Other eyebrow raised. "Oh? This just gets better and better."  
  
"I built her, sir, she's my baby."  
  
The officer bent down, resting his elbows on the window frame, and examined the passengers closely. "You use leftover pieces from your arm or something?"  
  
Beast Boy grinned, "good one!"  
  
The officer studied the dashboard. His pointer finger reached out and hit a random button, "what's this do?"  
  
"Ech! Don't push that one! It-" The trunk hood flipped back and a rocket launcher popped out. Cyborg sighed in defeat.  
  
"Is that a proton cannon?"  
  
"…Yes sir."  
  
The officer turned back to the two boys. "Do you have any idea what the penalty is for having a proton cannon attached to the back of an unregistered car traveling 100 miles over the speed limit being driven by an unlicensed driver?"  
  
Beast Boy's hand shot up. "I do! I do!" 


	5. Time: moment, past, present

Author's Note: A more serious one-shot, full of un-empathetic angst. Takes place in the future by quite a few years (did you know that the first episode of season two- no, I won't spoil it for anyone), and focuses on an old enemy of the Titans.  
  
Warning: This story will have possible spoilers from the comics, but I highly doubt that the comic plots will be followed too seriously because Teen Titans is a show for kids and the comic books are… well, they're comic books. Also, I have yet to decide but will probably use the characters real names. These have not been used in the series yet, but I don't think anyone really cares. Feel free to skip a story if it doesn't sound interesting or there are spoilers, like this one.  
  
Disclaimer: I don't own the Teen Titans or any characters  
  
A small smile, starting at the tip of his mouth and cautiously stretching through each millimeter of lip, plays on his face as thoughts and memories flow through his mind. There was no one there to witness the odd sight, the twitch of lips and gleam found deep within tired eyes. Crooked line breaking a porcelain face.  
  
Once upon a time; in the past, though nobody really knew how long ago the past truly laid for such a man, he was surrounded by people. People who would cower in fear of his small, innocent smile. Once upon a time he had many objects of porcelain, of gold and silver, shining brilliantly in lingering halls and vast rooms. Once, though now he sometimes fears it was all an illusion, he had power; control and influence and capability over everything his eye could see.  
  
He had dreams. Every man has dreams and hopes, and he was a man, after all, if one removed the mask he had cast upon himself once, upon a time. He dreamed of a legacy, desired for his name to be remembered throughout history. 'Slade' would strike fear into the hearts of billions, he would be feared more than Trigon himself, and his malevolence would be legendary. Once upon a time only one thing truly stood in his way.  
  
The smile disappears without notice and a profound frown supplants it. A brush on the arm reminds him of his one and true constant company; maggots. Small, weak, wiggling constantly, eating constantly. Always eating at his open wounds. Making them itch, burn in prickling sensation, every little bite running up his arm, through the shoulder, up the spine, and into the core of his brain, where the pain harassed him without constraint or sympathy.  
  
Yes, once upon a time Slade had been rich and powerful. Now, so horribly long after his days of grace, he sits in a diminutive cell with gray stone walls and hard dirt floors deep under the earth. Who was he to believe he could run forever? Prison was never a tormenting thought because he knew without question or doubt that evil Super Villains received maximum security cells of thick harsh metal, with a bed, pillow, blanket, sink, toilet, perhaps a few earned books to keep him occupied, and some company. Slade, enemy of the great Teen Titans, lives alone in the dark, bitter cell beneath the world while everyone above him forgot that he even existed.  
  
But the crooked line returns to his worn face. Time had destroyed him, this was true, but time did not sympathize with good while casting out evil. He had heard of each fall of the Titans, or maybe he had imagined hearing them, but in the end it did not matter, because in the end he had convinced himself that the Titans failed and fell, he only regretted not being present to witness such an extraordinary event.  
  
Cyborg, the half-robot whose brawns admirably added up to more than brains, met his final demise after his decoy pod collided with the grueling landscape of Siberia, the rest of his team captured and distant from his location. He was eventually discovered and taken to a man with the title of Dr. Pyotor Raskov, who rebuilt Victor's body to the paramount of his capabilities, but Cyborg's brain remained forever virtually inactive. Time wasted him away to nothing but a mass of man and metal, still fully operational, but without personality or individuality. Slade lives with only the regret of never controlling such an individual without constraint.  
  
Starfire and Robin. Slade chuckles, a feeble cough and hacking from the back of the throat. He should have written a book on their future, it was quite inevitable. They fell in love not so long after his defeat, the prep and the jock. High School royalty without the school. And, as anticipated their joy was plucked from them when Starfire, the great princess of Tamaran, was placed in an arranged marriage. Slade never did learn what became of them, but it sickens him to think that they could be happy somewhere together when Richard (I assume that's the Robin in the series, there has to be 200 different ones!) should be devoted to him.  
  
Raven… now that he looks back on the Titans, Slade can not truly deny a deep enthrallment with Raven. She was a live impossibility from every aspect. She carried the safety of billions on her shoulders with complete acceptance. Deep in her mind she controlled the formidable Trigon himself while continuously restricting all emotions; affection, agitation, anger, adoration, concern, desire, despair, disturbance, drive, ecstasy, elation, empathy, excitement, fervor, grief, happiness, inspiration, joy, love, melancholy, passion, pride, rage, remorse, responsiveness, sadness, satisfaction, sensation, sensitiveness, sentiment, shame, sorrow, sympathy, thrill, tremor, vehemence, warmth, zeal. How many emotions does he feel even now, all alone and without company? How can one control human nature?  
  
He despises the other Titans, a hate for them digs deeper into his skin everyday, but how can a man abhor one so like himself? He pretends that she has found happiness after such suffering. Trigon did escape in the end, and Raven bared trials and tribulations too terrible and lasting for Slade to recall. He heard that she had been cleansed of all evil, and could finally feel emotion. He knows that she uses such a gift to its fullest potential.  
  
Slade lets his head fall back against the cold stone wall and contemplates. What about that green one? The actor, he recalls. Cyborg had called him 'Salad Head,' but his real name was… Beast Boy. Slade was sure that his double-agent broke the green one's heart when he was sixteen, but he was quick to pick up the pieces. In fact Slade suspected that Beast Boy had his eye on the unfeeling and cold Raven. Time chastised him ruthlessly when he lost control of his powers. Raven was replaced by her dark side and Beast Boy was consumed in anger, morphing into demons. He had found peace, at last, with the death of his love. But… but, she returned. And somehow he knows that they found a once upon a time together, because time knows no discrepancy.  
  
Slade snickers, his shoulders roll with amusement and a twinkle reflects in his eyes. His snickers form into a coarse rumble of chuckles in the back of his throat and the crooked line returns to his lips. Unexpectedly a whimper releases itself from his throat, it's an appalling sound that echoes off of the stone that cages him. A second one follows, pathetic and damaged, and the stone sends it back to his ears mockingly. He snivels in shame, leaning against a wall blubbering like a baby. Sobs vibrate from his chest as his body shudders in pain. His hands cover his face in disgrace while his legs clasp to his chest, tears falling to the filthy floor.  
  
Here lives Slade, deep underground while the world lives without him. Once upon a time he was powerful, feared, surrounded by people, full of dreams. But time had betrayed him, it deceived him, it punished him without mercy or forgiveness, without understanding or pity, it ripped down his throne and cast him into the dark. 


	6. TV: babysitter, box, idiot box

Author's note: This one's probably a conversation everyone's had at some point while watching Gilligan's Island. As for the reasons for my short stories, I realized while watching the show and reading fan fiction that the Teen Titans are divided into groups. I expect that this is because of the romance between Robin and Starfire in the comics. So here are the groups: Raven/Beast Boy/Cyborg and Robin/Starfire. The second season will add a new Teen Titan, but their my least favorite character from the comics and I will probably never write about them. Anyway, you're probably waiting for a point, right? This is a Starfire Robin fic since I've done so much with the other three.  
  
Disclaimer: I don't own the Teen Titans but if I did THEY wouldn't be in the second season… although it is one of my favorite comic plots… well, that's like my own little paradox, innit?  
  
…  
  
Robin and Starfire sat on the couch in the living room watching the colossal TV at three in the morning. Robin could not remember who was in the room first, or why, but here they were. The remote was sheltered in his right hand, his thumb resting on the volume button, Starfire sat to his left, her legs tucked beside her. A bowl of popcorn, two sodas, a bottle of mustard, and the last slice of pizza, suitably stacked with pickles, bananas, and mint frosting rested on the coffee table while videogames were shoved aside to make room. Starfire's eyes remained glued to the TV in a very Beast Boy-like fashion, but Robin had already seen this episode and was content with watching the light shift on her face in his peripheral view.  
  
They were watching a seven hour marathon of Gilligan's Island, and why? Robin sighed in defeat. They watched it for the exact same reason anybody watched anything on TV, because it was on. They were into the fourth hour, from what he could tell, which meant that he had officially seen episodes one through six and the two of them were steadily rolling through seven.  
  
"Robin? I do not understand why they are still on the island." Skipper and Gilligan were arguing on the screen, apparently attempting corny 70's humor.  
  
Robin took the opportunity to look at Starfire indiscreetly. "Uh… what do you mean, Star?"  
  
"Could Skipper find a way off because he was in the navy?"  
  
Robin held back a sigh and returned to gazing at the screen. "They tried that, with the raft, remember?"  
  
"Yes, but if it was a three hour tour would another boat not pass by?"  
  
Robin opened his mouth to speak-  
  
"And even if they drifted a considerable distance to the island, surely a fire could be started?"  
  
He took advantage of Starfire's pause in questioning. "Uh… yeah, I guess that would be a good idea."  
  
Starfire nodded. She did not fully understand Robin's answer, but was content upon receiving it. For a few minutes, anyway.  
  
"Robin? Forgive my multiple interruptions, but is the sun not a compass?"  
  
Robin was not entirely sure where Starfire was going with this particular round of questions, but he nodded. "The sun is an excellent compass for general direction."  
  
"Then could they not fix the boat enough to travel back to land based on the sun?"  
  
Robin thought for a second, "well…"  
  
"And what is their strategy for food intake compared to production and reserves?"  
  
Ah ha! An answer he actually knew. "They can eat fish and animals on the island, Starfire, along with plants."  
  
"Yes, I agree, but the island is not large enough to produce the amount of food a group of humans requires for a sustainable amount of time. Perhaps they get off before then?"  
  
"If they got off the island, the show would be over, Star."  
  
"…I see. That would make sense."  
  
Robin smiled. He had successfully answered all of her questions without encouraging more or introducing opportunities to switch the conversation.  
  
"So they have a radio but they are unable to contact overhead planes, start a fire, fix the boat, and guest stars continue to appear on the show while they stay on the island?"  
  
Ah, more questions. "Gilligan's Island in a nut-shell."  
  
"This show does not match the logic of the rest of the planet."  
  
Robin shrugged. "Guess that's why it only lasted three seasons."  
  
A nail polish commercial flashed onto the screen, advertising cherry colored nails. Starfire turned to Robin. "Can humans eat nail polish?"  
  
"Uh… no, I'm pretty sure they can't, Star."  
  
A puzzled expression crossed her face. "However nail polish is flammable, is it not? And so are marshmallows, but we eat those."  
  
Robin looked at her. Blinked. Blinked again. And went back to watching the TV. The screen went blank before pictures of diamonds came on.  
  
*Annoying fake classical music* "Every kiss begins with Kay (A/N: Damn those commercials)."  
  
"Robin?"  
  
Robin held back another sigh and turned to face her, "yes, Star?"  
  
"What's a kiss?"  
  
He leaned over and gently brushed his lips against hers.  
  
"…Oh."  
  
Starfire didn't ask anymore questions. 


	7. talk: chat, communicate, yak

Author's Note: It's Christmas, everyone's doing Christmas things. I'm writing a story. BUT, I am wearing a Santa hat, so there. I have no idea what this is about, it'll probably be just some Teen Titan conversations.  
  
Disclaimer: I don't own Teen Titans. New season starts on the 10th! YAY!  
  
…  
  
Beast Boy sighed and tossed his controller onto the coffee table. He and Cyborg have been playing videogames for eight hours. The other three Titans came and went, sometimes stopping to watch for a game before leaving again. The two game-obsessed Titans managed to convince Robin and Starfire to play a few with them, for added competition, but Raven refused every time.  
  
Beast Boy let out a sigh and began searching for the remote around his spot on the couch. "I have an announcement to make: this sucks."  
  
Cyborg tossed his controller next to Beast Boy's and swiveled in his new black leather chair. "Ditto to that."  
  
Beast Boy lifted a cushion. "Dude, don't you have a remote in your arm or something?"  
  
"What the hell do I look like? A vending machine?"  
  
Beast Boy opened his mouth to reply when a remote floated in front of his face. He held out his hands and watched as it dropped into his palms. "Thanks, Raven."  
  
Raven sat down on the couch next to Beast Boy and flipped her hood back. "You left it in the refrigerator, next to the soy milk."  
  
Cyborg swiveled in his chair, a vast grin on his face. He let out a deep chuckle and rubbed his hands together. "Hehehe… I feel like an evil genius in this chair."  
  
Raven raised an eyebrow. "Well you look like a mentally defective imbecile."  
  
"Good one!" Beast Boy held up his right hand for a high five. Raven raised a refined eyebrow and Beast Boy dropped his hand with a shrug. He turned his attention to the television and flipped through the channels, his thumb never leaving the 'up' button for pause.  
  
"Uh… Beast Boy, want to slow down?"  
  
"Yeah Salad Head, can you even tell what's on each channel?"  
  
Beast Boy morphed into a rabbit, his paw still glued to the remote. "Infomercial, infomercial, football, basketball, soccer, pet psychic, Kim Possible, Spongebob, infomercial, Missy video, commercial, stand up-"  
  
Cyborg chucked an empty pop can at the furry green bunny. "Fine, I GET it." Beast Boy morphed into his human form and grinned while continuing to click away.  
  
Beyond the Titan Tower window the sun's last rays disappeared behind wine painted hills and luminous skyscrapers. The only light in the lounge where the friends gathered was the colossal TV. Beast Boy settled on an old western and the room filled with tans and coppers as a duel played out on the dusty Main Street.  
  
Cyborg stretched. "Man, am I thirsty!"  
  
Beast Boy nodded his head vigorously in agreement. "Completely parched."  
  
They both looked at Raven. She glared Cyborg down. "I just got in here."  
  
Beast Boy shrugged. "Then you're automatically the least comfortable and settled in."  
  
She raised an eyebrow. "I'm never comfortable and settled in."  
  
Cyborg frowned. "What's your point?"  
  
Raven held up the mug in her hand. "I brought tea."  
  
"So what you're saying is…"  
  
"Get your own drinks, and stop being lazy."  
  
Cyborg sat up, an expression of pure offense crossing his face. "I'm not lazy, I'm just a very calm person. Make Beast Boy do it."  
  
Raven could predict exactly where this conversation was going. She would say: "except you hate soy milk, Cyborg."  
  
And then Cyborg would reply: "You're right, Salad Head's completely useless."  
  
To which Beast Boy would counter with: "Hey! I'm not completely useless. I can be used as a bad example."  
  
Beast Boy morphed into the infamous kitten. "Besides, I'm too cute to work."  
  
Raven inwardly rolled her eyes. "Cute and interesting are two different things."  
  
Cyborg sighed. "We're not getting anywhere, I hereby call a 'not it.' One… two… three…"  
  
"NOT IT" "Not it" "Not it!"  
  
Raven, Beast Boy, and Cyborg all traded glares. On the TV the hero and villain stared each other down, flexing their calloused hands over their revolvers. Somewhere behind the trio a clock chimed ten times. The sky lost the last of the sun's color whilst stars leisurely appeared.  
  
Beast Boy suddenly sat up straight, his eyes gleaming. "Am I thinking what I think I'm thinking?!"  
  
Raven and Cyborg both raised their eyebrows. "…"  
  
Beast Boy cleared his throat and turned his head towards the dormitory hallway. "Ahem… STARFIRE!"  
  
All was silent for a second, even the western movie. Then a thump followed by an audible slam traveled down the hall. Starfire flew in and a gunshot echoed from the TV.  
  
"Yes, Beast Boy?"  
  
"Will you get me and Cyborg a pop from the kitchen?"  
  
Starfire looked Beast Boy straight in the eye. "No."  
  
All three gawked at her. "What? Why not?"  
  
"Beast Boy, the kitchen is not 20 yards away, surely you cannot stand up and walk there? I have not seen you remove yourself from this couch for many hours."  
  
Beast Boy pretended to look offended. "I had a long day yesterday. Besides you guys know I'm good for some things."  
  
Raven could not stop herself, "being good at being stupid doesn't count."  
  
Beast Boy turned to her, jaw slacked. "Traitor!"  
  
Raven held up her mug. "Tea."  
  
Starfire floated to the seat across from Cyborg and faced the television. "What are you guys watching?"  
  
"Western."  
  
She turned her attention back to Beast Boy. "You know, I'm a bit thirsty, too."  
  
Cyborg cut in, "then get us something to drink!"  
  
"But Cyborg, surely you agree that these new leather chairs are comfy. You know I cannot part with one now that I have sat down."  
  
Beast Boy rolled his eyes, but Cyborg intervened. "No, no. She has a good point. These suckers are damn comfortable."  
  
Beast Boy rolled his eyes yet again. "Then I guess that means that Cyborg isn't getting up either." He faced Raven. "That leaves me and you."  
  
Raven held up her mug once again. "Tea."  
  
"Well, guess that leaves you, Salad Head." Cyborg grabbed Beast Boy's foot and tossed him into the kitchen. "Get me a Coke!" 


	8. dog: flea bag, hound, mutt

Author's Note: This chapter is dedicated to dragonmaster01, who came up with the plot for it. Of course I take requests! These things are damn hard to come up with. I probably won't get them out right away, however. This story is Beast Boy centered, he gets stuck as a green dog and a girl finds him.  
  
Disclaimer: I don't own the Teen Titans. And technically, I don't own the basic plot to this sucker, either. All borrowed without interest, take that World Bank!  
  
…  
  
"Titans go!"  
  
The five teenaged superheroes of Southern California sprinted into the park, ready to vanquish evil and defend the innocent. Today the evil villain was a man named Magus. He was a short and scrawny 28-year-old who was recognized by the scientific world for his experiments with genetics. The Titans found him standing by a bench tossing crumbled bread to pigeons whilst watching the children play in the square. (AN: ooo… So evil)  
  
Robin stepped in front of him. "You're experiments end today, Magus." The other four Titans stepped closer, surrounding him.  
  
Magus tossed another handful of crumbs at the pigeons, who cooed contently. "Nice little planet you've got here. Shame if something happened to it."  
  
"Teen Titans, attack!"  
  
Beast Boy morphed into a dog and bounded towards Magus. He flew through the air and caught Magus in the chest, shoving him to the ground. Beast Boy let out a growl of triumph before Magus's arm forced a needle into his side. A howl of pain was heard for miles before Beast Boy was tossed to the side as Magus rose to defeat the other titans.  
  
"Raven, get Beast Boy to safety!" The hound was engulfed in a black mist as he floated to the playground nearby.  
  
…  
  
Beast Boy woke up to find himself resting in a sandbox. A little girl with a blue dress and short blonde hair stared at him, her head cocked to the side in playful curiosity. "Hi puppy, I'm Alexa."  
  
Beast Boy raised an eyebrow. 'Who's she calling 'puppy?'' He slowly stood up on all fours, feeling the blunt of the fall. He could tell that he had a large bruise on his left side and the area where Magus injected him was swollen and sore. He took in his surroundings, the sandbox and swings just beyond it, the slide and teeter-totters, the trees and pathways, and all of the children slowly gathering around him.  
  
"Why's his fur green?"  
  
"What's his name?"  
  
"Does he do any tricks?"  
  
Hands jutted out and clutched fistfuls of fur and skin and whiskers. 'Is this really necessary?'  
  
A little boy with sun blonde hair poked Beast Boy's nose. "He's kinda ugly."  
  
''Ugly?' I have my own fan club, you little snot-nosed booger-eating punk!' Beast Boy let out a deep growl that resounded from the back of his throat. Alexa stepped in front of him and pushed the boy into the sandbox. "He's not ugly! He's da cutiest dog here, and his name is… Sparky!"  
  
Beast Boy's eyes enlarged and he stopped registering all of the roaming little hands. ''Sparky?' No way, I'm tired of being a dog, gotta help the Titans.' Beast Boy tried to morph into his human form, abruptly a shock of funny bone hitting proportion ran through his system and he let out a howl of pain. Alexa turned around and hugged his neck. "'S ok, Sparky. You can come home with me."  
  
Beast Boy rolled his eyes.  
  
"Alexa, come here sweety! Time to go home!" Alexa ran towards two adults, a blonde woman and brunette man, both with the same deep brown eyes as their daughter. Beast Boy held back a sigh and trotted behind her.  
  
She stopped in front of them and Beast Boy sat a foot behind her, switching on his cute eyes and pouty lips. The only person they didn't work on was Raven, but even she couldn't turn away forever. "I found a puppy! His name's Sparky, can I keep him?"  
  
Her parents exchanged glances, the mother getting on one knee and touching her daughter's shoulder. "Honey, we don't have time to train another pet."  
  
Alexa's eyes watered, "but mama! He is trained!" She turned to Beast Boy. "Aren't you?"  
  
'You've got to be kidding me.' He stood up and wagged his tail, letting out a deep bark. 'Least my voice changed.'  
  
…  
  
"Time for dinner, Sparky!" Beast Boy rolled over onto his back, staring at the ceiling. His bed was an old blue pillow that was stitched so many times a wolverine could not rip through it. Next to him, on a noticeably newer pillow, was a Welsh terrier. She was barely 15 inches long with a rectangular head and small, beady eyes, and she was obviously also named by the girl, going by the alias 'Skull.' Beast Boy predicted that he could probably eat her in two bites. Vegetarian or not, dog food had to be the most disgusting stuff his tongue had ever tasted. Except for Starfire's crappy pudding of sadness or whatever she called it.  
  
"SPARKY!" Oh yeah, that was his new name. Beast Boy stood up and trotted into the kitchen, his feet scraping on the linoleum floor. Alexa stood by the refrigerator, a dish of dog food between her feet. She stroked Beast Boy on the head, beaming at her new pet. "Good boy."  
  
He looked at the bowl and then back to his new 'owner.' An eyebrow raised in annoyance. 'I am NOT eating that.'  
  
Alexa flicked Beast Boy's nose, startling him. "Sparky! Eat, or you'll starve and die!"  
  
'I'd rather eat Skull.' But, not in the mood to starve, Beast Boy slowly bent his head down and took a few pieces into his mouth. He unhurriedly chewed, thinking about Starfire's pudding.  
  
"Good boy." Alexa passed him and skipped out of the room, humming a made-up tune. Beast Boy smirked and glared at the food. 'Time for another practical joke.'  
  
…  
  
Alexa sat down at the table and bent her head down for evening prayer. Her mother sat to her left, her father to her right, while Beast Boy, aka 'Sparky,' and Skull lay under the small table in hopes of getting to eat some real food.  
  
The prayer was finished and lids were lifted off of the plates, followed by a piercing scream from Alexa.  
  
"DADDY!"  
  
Brown, soggy, smelly, rock-hard dog food, with added meat flavoring, along with two dog biscuits and a pig's ear chew covered her plate. On the side was a glass of toilet water.  
  
The father stood up, scratching his head while his wife comforted Alexa. "What in the…?"  
  
…  
  
Beast Boy trotted into Alexa's room, which quickly engulfed him in stuffed animals and an amazing variety of pink. He hopped onto the bed and turned a few circles before slumping onto the white feather pillow.  
  
Alexa walked in wearing Power Puff pajamas and dragging an old blue pillow behind her. "SPARKY!" She dropped the pillow and pointed at it. "You sleep here! You're pillow!" Beast Boy lifted his head and cocked it to the side, looking baffled. "Now, Sparky!" He slowly stood up on all fours, stretched his back, and jumped onto the pillow. Alexa gave him a pat on the head, "good boy."  
  
Beast Boy watched as she trekked out of the room before jumping on the bed again. He bit a corner of the pillow and flung it over his head before returning to the floor. He captured his blue pillow within his jaws and bounded back onto the bed before laying down.  
  
Alexa returned to find her pillow on the floor next to a blanket with Beast Boy and Skull sleeping blissfully on her bed. A breath was inhaled before- "DADDY!"  
  
…  
  
A ruined couch, eaten television remote, throw-up stain on the living room carpet, and three runaway attempts later Alexa's father was driving around the city posting 'lost dog' signs everywhere. A picture of Beast Boy with said destroyed remote in mouth was in the center, underneath was a short caption reading 'dog found in park, hound, green fur, sharp teeth, demon.'  
  
He pulled out another poster and began plastering it to the side of the Vege-Mart when a teen with a flowing purple cape walked up to him. "Sorry to bother you, sir, but I believe you have my… dog."  
  
He turned to face the speaker and let out a sigh of relief. "Thank God! You're dog has been destroying my life!"  
  
Raven blinked. "Uh… yeah… he has a tendency to do that on occasion."  
  
…  
  
Beast Boy and Skull sprinted to the front door as it opened, waiting to see who had arrived. Alexa's father (AN: I probably should've given that guy a name…) stood in front of the door, Robin and Raven behind him. Beast Boy jumped onto Raven, wagging his tail, before biting Robin in the ankle.  
  
"OW!"  
  
'That's for leaving me in the sandbox!'  
  
The father turned to them and opened the door. "Forgive me for rushing you, but you have to understand…"  
  
Raven held up a hand. "Believe me, I do." The three titans headed for the car, Robin in the driver's seat, Starfire next to him, and Raven in the back. Beast Boy got ready to hop in when Alexa came dashing out of the house.  
  
"SPARKY! I LOVE YOU!" Beast Boy was tacked to the ground in a fierce hug until Alexa was lifted off of him, tears streaming down her face. "SPARKY!!!"  
  
Beast Boy jumped into the car and lay down next to Raven, putting his head on her lap.  
  
She looked down at him, meeting his eyes, and raised an eyebrow. A few seconds passed and Beast Boy wondered if he'd get away with it. "…You're spoiled."  
  
…  
  
Ok, longest chapter to date. I think it has it's strong points and weak points, but overall it balances itself out to average. Or something. Since I've gone over my usual 1000 word mark as is, time for some over-due shout outs to the reviewers.  
  
Dragonmaster01: once again thank you for the idea, I hope it was decent. You have a lot of good ideas floating around in your head, I can tell.  
  
Alys: you are an author that I have put on a pedestal exceedingly higher than myself, I can't wait to read more of your work.  
  
AerinM: you're right, it is spelled onomatopoeia, how the hell did you know that? I think I asked everyone in this house. I'm the youngest, you'd think someone in here is smarter than me.  
  
Holly: I get a lot of ideas from your reviews, actually, and I am proud to see that you're one of the few people that has a healthy amount of randomness to them, too many people follow rules and stuff, what losers.  
  
Leviathan680: I'm not much of a writer, either, but I like to throw towels at people and jump in rings or something… my best advise is to write for yourself, that's what I do.  
  
Ocdsugar: You are bad for my ego, you're review definitely had me soaring for awhile, until my sister popped my bubble. On a different note, I always like Pacey better than Dawson. 


	9. nightmare: hallucination, horror, illusi...

AN: NEW SEASON! NEW SEASON! Okay, now that that's out of the way, everyone has nightmares. Even Raven. I'm thinking this will be a bit darker, not so funny ha-ha, but I don't know. I haven't written it yet. Maybe I should do these things after… not that anyone reads them.  
  
Disclaimer: I now officially don't own Season 1 of TT or Season 2! YAY for me!  
  
…  
  
Raven would never admit it, but she hated sleeping. Once she assumed that it was her demon side, or her father in her head, that kept her awake at night, constantly begging to escape into the darkness of the city, to bathe in the moonlight. For awhile she even blamed it on the quiet that came with the stars, after she had gotten used to meditating with BB and Cy running around the house.  
  
But now, tonight as she sat on her bed and rubbed her eyes, she knew the truth. Nightmares. She had them constantly when she was little, but they had faded out with her training by the priests of Azarath. Yet they had come back, about a month ago. Horrible and terrifying and tangible. They were filled with death and fear, decrepit scenery, prophecies and visions, screams and blood. For the first week she hid her insomnia and fears with absolute perfection. However, sleepless nights began to take their toll, and when someone hides all things with the same devoted perfection, people find ways to read even the subtlest of hints. Short, green people. She blamed it on animal instincts.  
  
She fell onto the mattress behind her and stared at the ceiling, "I think it's my father."  
  
Beast Boy looked over at the alarm clock by her bed: 2:57. He turned his head and met her eyes, "big red mirror demon?"  
  
She lifted her head and pushed off her hood before letting her hair fall to the mattress again. "I control him, in a way, a part of him is trapped in my mind. And, consequently, he tries to manipulate me so that I will free him and join him by his side."  
  
Beast Boy fell onto the mattress next to Raven with a sigh and grasped her hand, intertwining their fingers, in a comforting gesture. "Through emotions?"  
  
She ignored his question, seeing no reason to confirm it. "I'm weakest when asleep, he plays with me."  
  
"Just means you're stronger when awake." He absentmindedly rubbed circles in her palm with his thumb, focusing on the conversation. Rain pelted the window, the storm clouds obscured the moon insuring the room stayed settled in darkness.  
  
A small smile escaped her solid demeanor, "optimists die first."  
  
He shrugged, "I'll turn into a tortoise for the rest of my life."  
  
"But you'd move too slow to enjoy it." She let out a yawn and brought her free hand up to rub her eyes again.  
  
He squeezed her hand. "I'll sleep by your side tonight."  
  
Silence surrounded them, thick and deep, but not uncomfortable. The clouds parted and moonlight filtered in between drawn blinds. Raven turned her head and faced him, her eyes dancing with confusion and curiosity. "…Why?"  
  
His eyes shifted from the ceiling to her face, to her eyes, and rested at their intertwined hands. Because I love you. "Maybe it'll help you sleep, with me here."  
  
A moment passed before the confusion melted from her face and he met her eyes once again. "You're trying to protect me."  
  
She was a warrior, strength, courage, and fortitude running through her veins. Her eyes were deep and calm, but hidden in them was fear, pain, sadness. He had discovered their secrets one evening while she meditated, and in the beginning it terrified him, filling him with a fear that seized his heart. Every time he gazed into her eyes he found her soul, and every time it shattered his heart a little more. If he could take away all of her pain, all of her sadness, even if only for a day, and make it his own, carry her burden on his shoulders, he would. Because now that he could, Beast Boy didn't think he would last a day without looking into her eyes.  
  
"I don't need your protection." Her voice was cold. He let go of her hand and placed his arm around her shoulders, pulling her to his side, their shoulders touching.  
  
"But I need you."  
  
He was being selfish by loving her, he knew that. It was selfish of him to sit outside her door in the morning while she got ready. It was selfish of him to have dreams about her. It was selfish of him to hold her hand. He couldn't stop, though, he was in love.  
  
But he never asked her to return his deeply rooted feelings, nor did he request that she even acknowledge them. Sometimes, usually at night when he had time to think, Beast Boy wondered if she did return the feelings, if even just a little. Habitually he was able to enjoy her company without asking for more, even though his heart ached with the constant want of just a little more, and yet when he was without said company his heart ached with the inescapable need of her presence.  
  
A primal instinct that ran through his veins told him to protect her, and he selfishly gave in. Every morning he gave in, arriving a few minutes before she emerged from her dark room. In battle he fought by her side, but over time he realized that some things could not be taken without being given, and she protected him in turn. She protected him from herself.  
  
To love someone that could not love you back was painful, sometimes he believed it was killing him. He lifted his hand that draped behind her shoulder and stroked her cheek, transferring the way her skin felt; cold and soft, into his memory before tracing her jaw; defined and strong but undeniably feminine, then letting his fingers brush her neck before letting them return to her shoulder and pull her closer still. The clouds shifted again, blocking the moonlight and casting the room in darkness once more. Neither spoke, because words would make it tangible, and neither was ready to face reality. Centuries of life couldn't teach a person to deal with something that can't be dealt with, but damned if he didn't love her anyway.  
  
Raven grasped the hand that rested on her shoulder and cautiously intertwined their fingers. She turned her head, brought his palm to her lips, gently kissed it. "Thank you." 


	10. Lunch: attack, chow down, devour

Author's Note: A million-trillion-bazillion apologies for the two-week lack of updates. Finals and blah blah blah. A little background on this chapter for the two of you who read these things; my brother, sister, and I all drink Diet Coke. Disgusting, I know, but true, and there are rules to drinking it.  
  
1. If you drink the last can, you must buy the next pack. Now.  
  
2. Do not buy Diet Pepsi, ever, or that crappy store brand. Coke only.  
  
3. Whoever opens the first can must sing the Diet Coke jingle in its entirety.  
  
4. Diet Coke will not, ever, be mixed with any other drink. Ever.  
  
5. Diet from fast food pop fountains is unacceptable, bottle and can only.  
  
6. It's pop. Not soda. Not soda-pop. Pop, one less syllable and letter, see?  
  
Disclaimer: I do not own the Teen Titans, the voice actors of, or special characters in the show.  
  
…  
  
"NOOOO!" Beast Boy slid stomach down across the long table, knocking over dishes of the buffet lunch piled in the center. With the sickening sound of rug burn he stopped an inch short of Starfire, who sat at the end, mouth ajar, glass of Diet Pepsi tilted above her glass of Diet Coke. Beast Boy snatched the Diet Pepsi from her hand and put it down on the table before pushing the drinks as far away from each other as possible. He looked back to her, death in his eyes, and pointed his finger at her nose. "No!"  
  
"But Beast Boy, we are out of Diet Coke, I was simply going to mix the two to-" Starfire was silenced by a hand slapped over her mouth.  
  
"No!"  
  
Her eyes glistened with confusion, "but BB-"  
  
The finger returned to her nose, "Ah! No, shh! To speak of it is treachery!"  
  
Cyborg rolled his eyes and grabbed Beast Boy by the collar, lifting him off of the table and setting him on the ground. "Easy there, Salad Head. Besides, Star's the only person here who drinks diet besides you, let her do what she wants."  
  
Robin sighed and put his sandwich on his plate before joining the conversation. "I think Beast Boy has a valid point. They do taste different."  
  
Cyborg rolled his eyes. "No, they don't, they both taste disgusting."  
  
Robin glared across the table. "Why do you always have to contradict me, Cyborg?"  
  
"You contradicted me first, Birdbrain!"  
  
"I did not!"  
  
"Dude, you did too! I took Starfire's side-"  
  
"No, you just disagreed with Beast Boy!"  
  
While Beast Boy watched the fight Starfire grabbed the Diet Pepsi and Coke and prepared to mix the two drinks. A soft *chink* vibrated through the room as the two glass rims tapped each other, Starfire paused, holding her breath.  
  
His ears twitched and before she could even squeal in surprise Beast Boy grabbed the glasses, a low, feral growl escaping between his clenched teeth.   
  
He took a deep breath, but Beast Boy's face still flushed a deep red, "Star, would you mix ketchup and mustard?"  
  
Starfire's mouth dropped open, "NEVER! …But Beast Boy, this is merely Pepsi and Coke."  
  
"MERELY PEPSI AND COKE! How could you say something like that!"  
  
"You're just mad because I took the last of the milk!" Cyborg's human eye twitched and he gulped down his milk, never breaking eye contact with Robin.  
  
"No! I'm mad because you have to disagree with everything I say! I said you should paint the T-car red, you painted it blue!"  
  
"No, you said paint it blue! So I did!"  
  
Robin pointed a finger at him, "see? You did it again!"  
  
"No I didn't!"  
  
"You did, too!"  
  
"No, I didn't!"  
  
"Yeah, you did!"  
  
"Well you started it! If you just kept your big mouth shut we wouldn't have this problem!"  
  
Robin's jaw dropped. "My mouth? I'm the leader!"  
  
"Says who?!"  
  
Beast Boy and Starfire both had one hand on the glass of Diet Pepsi, "Star, just let it go. It will find a good home DOWN THE DRAIN!"  
  
"Beast boy, I must insist that you let me DRINK THE SODA!"  
  
Beast Boy's eyes went wide, "did you just call it 'soda?!' It's pop! Not soda!"  
  
"Robin said it was called soda, I will not change my vocabulary for someone who is trying to keep me from enjoying a drink!"  
  
"You know what, Cyborg? Fine! Starfire should be able to mix the drinks!"  
  
Cyborg took a bite of his hotdog and chewed thoughtfully. "But BB does have a point, they do taste different."  
  
"Who bought the Diet Pepsi, anyway?" All arguments stopped as the four members exchanged curious looks. Robin's fist was smashed into his sandwich, Cyborg had his hotdog poised in front of his open mouth, Beast Boy was pulling at the Diet, one foot pushing against Starfire's chair, and Starfire also pulled, the Diet Coke in her other hand.  
  
Four sets of eyes drifted down the table, where Raven sat, eyebrow raised and salad fork in hand. "What?" 


	11. broken: cracked, crippled, shattered

A/N: Time to write a Terra fic. Unfortunately, I can't really write one about her based on a single episode, so I did Raven's view of Terra and also played with Raven's emotions a little.  
  
Disclaimer: I don't own the Teen Titans, it belongs to Cartoon Network  
  
…  
  
Happy, brave, smart, relaxed, timid, a few of Raven's emotions that liked to act up more than the others. She sighed lightly and brushed back her hood before slowly walking down the path of her mind, surrounded by darkness. By her side walked tense Raven, who's shoulders bunched awkwardly, forming a knot in the back of her neck with her formal footsteps, navy blue cape trailing behind her. In front of them, hopping from piece to piece of the forming path, were a few black birds, happily chirping.  
  
"I don't like her." A terse sentence that hid little of the bitterness attached to it.  
  
"Why not?" Calm, curious, but in control.  
  
"She can't control her powers, you know this." A twitch of the hand, flexing of fingers.  
  
"Neither can I." Rolled off the tongue with the ease of one who has no secrets. And here, Raven didn't.  
  
"My point exactly. She can hurt people-"  
  
"She won't." Quick, but not with anger. "I won't."  
  
"Not on purpose. Accidents happen, like Dr. Light."  
  
Raven sighed, not letting the comment under her skin. "That was no accident."  
  
Tense Raven nodded and rolled her shoulders, slowly calming down. "Whatever."  
  
"It wasn't your fault, either." Calm, patient.  
  
Raven ran a hand through her hair and watched her black birds, each carrying a group of memories, take to the air and fly above. By her side walked relaxed Raven, who's shoulders sagged comfortably and bounced with her leisured footsteps, blue cape trailing behind her.  
  
No words passed between the two, Raven's relaxed side rarely spoke. Her eyes wandered over the scenery, taking in the thoughts that drifted through Raven's mind and pondering how they affected her. She was unable to understand which emotion was more appropriate, tense or relaxed, since she could only be a single emotion at one time, but whole Raven seemed to enjoy her more when she was relaxed, because she always comforted tense Raven.  
  
The scenery shifted into Relaxed Raven's domain as she continued to calm. The sky filled with a sun kissed blue, wavy clouds forming on the horizon. Soft, green grass filled the space on either side of the path, a shallow-running brook carving its route to their right, disappearing into a tall forest in the distance. Relaxed Raven walked over to a patch of thick grass and lay down, hands behind her head, admiring the clouds. Raven sat by her side, letting her emotion guide her thoughts.  
  
Relaxed Raven pointed at a cloud above her, "that one looks like a kitten."  
  
Raven peered up, "no it doesn't." The cloud shifted and swirled, expanding until a detailed kitten, complete with big blue eyes, stared down at them.  
  
"Now it does."  
  
"Cheater."  
  
Relaxed Raven waved a hand in the air, "bah. Off you go, other emotions need control."  
  
Raven nodded before standing and brushing herself off, ready to face her most challenging emotion.  
  
She drifted through one of the stone arches and entered a field of wild flowers. By her side walked sad Raven, who's eyes glistened with unshed tears, black cape trailing on the ground. Raven was not entirely sure why sad Raven had appeared with such force, but she needed to find out. This emotion, and its counterpart, affected all others with the most depth, including rage. Thus they required extra attention, like a difficult child. With bipolar.  
  
They continued to walk, Raven realizing that sad Raven was not going to start a conversation. She understood. "What's wrong?"  
  
"They all like her. …More than me." A choked sob escaped, but the tears stayed trapped in her eyes, and Raven realized not even her emotions knew how to cry.  
  
"…Who?" Quiet, with a hint of confusion.  
  
"Starfire, Cyborg, Beast Boy." Each name said without hate, but heartache.  
  
Sad Raven stopped walking, keeping her eyes on the ground. Her whole turned to face her. "Terra's new, they wanted to make her feel welcome." Sad Raven nodded.  
  
"They're still my friends, and they'll be my friends." A gentle squeeze on the shoulder, sad Raven nodded again. Her cape lightened to a swirl of red and black.  
  
"What else is bothering you?" Calm, patient.  
  
A sniff, "he likes her."  
  
Whole Raven peered down at the bird that had manifested itself by their feet, tears in its eyes as well. Raven recognized it immediately, this bird held all of the memories that were causing happy Raven to revert to sad.  
  
"…Beast Boy?" A light chuckle, rare and unforced. "Yes, he does. She thinks he's funny and-"  
  
"I think he's funny!" Desperate, offended.  
  
"I know. I've grown rather attached to him, haven't I?" Sad Raven nodded, her cape shifting again, but the colors only swirled. "What makes me happy?"  
  
Sad Raven blinked. "…Seeing Beast Boy and my friends happy."  
  
"And Terra makes him happy. He's happy, and Starfire's happy, and Cyborg's happy."  
  
"And Robin?"  
  
Raven rolled her eyes, it was one of happy Raven's favorite things to do. "Robin's… Robin. How about this, it's movie night, I'll join the group and watch the damn movie with them."  
  
Raven continued her walk through the meadow. By her side walked happy Raven, who's shoulders bounced as she skipped circles around her whole, pink cape flowing behind her.  
  
"Can we watch 'Underworld?'"  
  
Raven raised an eyebrow in contemplation. "If Beast Boy promises not to quote the movie for the rest of the week, sure."  
  
"Score!" She stopped skipping and let her cape curl around her, quite pleased. She remembered being sad, but no emotion was attached to it. "I think Smart Raven wanted to chat with you, but I'm not sure, never understood her."  
  
"You going to be ok?"  
  
Happy Raven grinned, "I don't wanna wear you out, arches to pass through, emotions to see!"  
  
Raven nodded and passed through another arch, the meadow and happy Raven disappearing behind her. By her side walked Smart Raven, who pushed her glasses up the bridge of her nose with her finger, yellow cape heavy and solid, only moving slightly with her steps. They stepped into the maze and began to wander.  
  
"She's remarkably vulnerable, you know. She has yet to properly form the self-confidence required to combat evil. I deem that Slade is knowledgeable of this as well, he will try to manipulate her."  
  
Raven looked at her emotion curiously. "Stop being so bombastic." The two shared a smirk. "So… which side are you taking?"  
  
Smart Raven paused and inspected the wall to her left. "Assuming Slade has yet to address Terra, she would be safer as an ally to us than an adversary…"  
  
"But?"  
  
"But I know that Slade has contacted her. He has unquestionably planted a seed of doubt in her mind, almost certainly playing off of her need for control. She is a pawn in a dangerous game, if we let her in I have no doubt that she will betray us. She knows that we cannot give her the help she needs."  
  
The two sat down and began a game of chess, silence surrounding them.  
  
Raven sat back and analyzed the board. "Perhaps you underestimate her need for friendship, a wanderer like herself is lonely."  
  
Smart Raven captured another rook, frowning. "We are not her friends, not yet. …Most of the Titans can survive an attack from her powers, but can we survive her betrayal? I also doubt the sincerity in her desperation, how can we be sure it is not an act, even now?"  
  
"You're asking if it's a risk worth taking."  
  
Smart Raven's eyes shined behind her glasses. "Is it?"  
  
She moved her knight, but Raven wasn't paying attention to the game. Smart Raven frowned, bored. "Assuming that the chaos theory is comparative above the molecular level, our entire geometrical structure is based on relatively falsified mathematical assumptions, therefore constructing an erratic base for our algebra and trigonometry theories, say, for example… your emotions. Each of us is capable of two emotions, each an unequivocal contradictory of the other with the purpose of balancing out, yet each emotion is completely isolated from all others while in essence affecting all others… "  
  
"I don't think they're going to stop teaching math just because of the chaos theory, no matter how much I despise it."  
  
Smart Raven frowned and crossed her arms over her chest, disappointed that the subject was dropped. She cleared the chessboard and replaced it with a reversi game, moving her first piece and switching the topic of conversation to developing a new training program.  
  
…  
  
Raven found her timid side standing on the other side of the arch, waiting for her whole. Her eyes were cast to the ground in shame and embarrassment, hands loosely clasped together and shaking. Timid Raven rarely shifted into her other form; bold, because this emotion was so strongly woven into Raven's personality. It was what made her cautious of others and concerned for herself, it was an emotion that helped control the others by weakening them. An ally found in an enemy.  
  
"Does that mean that she's an enemy found in an ally?" A hesitant, shaking question. Timid Raven smiled sadly. "I want to trust her, like they do, but…"  
  
"I'm not asking you to trust her." Raven put a hand on her emotion's shoulder and pulled her into a loose hug. Timid Raven immediately stopped shaking.  
  
"…You're avoiding her."  
  
Raven frowned, "who?"  
  
"Love."  
  
…  
  
Raven passed through the arch and found herself on a beach of rocks and sand, looking upon a deep, mysterious ocean. On the shore sat Raven, draped in a blood red cape, the ocean's waves lapping at her feet. The midnight sky was empty of stars, but a full moon's light reflected off of the water.  
  
"You left me, sweet, two legacies,—  
  
A legacy of love  
  
A Heavenly Father would content,  
  
Had He the offer of;  
  
You left me boundaries of pain  
  
Capacious as the sea,  
  
Between eternity and time,  
  
Your consciousness and me."  
  
Raven did not step forward to confront love, because she feared looking upon her eyes. Instead she lashed out, troubled. "You're depressing."  
  
"I am broken."  
  
Raven frowned, "who broke me?"  
  
Both continued to watch the ocean. "You did." 


	12. Mall: shop, coop, rat house

Author's Note: Ok, alright, I'm sorry. It's been too long and I know that you guys enjoy these, so I'm going to try to update more again. Just… try to stop me before twenty. Those chapter-scroll things drive me crazy! So… the Titans go to the mall. Not really funny ha-ha, just a story this time. And hurray for fog, which cancels school!  
  
Disclaimer: I don't own the Teen Titans. No poseo Titans de Adolescente. (Is that right?)  
  
…  
  
The dog's head hung out the car window, his green eyes following the cars that zoomed past as he took deep panting breaths. He barked twice, tail picking up speed, as a little girl in the car next to them waved. Raven grabbed his tuff and yanked him back into the car. The dog let out a yelp of surprise before morphing back into his human form, a hand rubbing his neck. "Ow…"  
  
"You're going to loose your head if you keep doing that."  
  
Beast Boy pouted, his eyes filling with large tears as he faced Raven, "you'd heal me, right Rae?"  
  
Raven rolled her eyes, ignoring the boy's pouty face. "Yes Beast Boy, because I can heal decapitations."  
  
Starfire's eyes lit up at the news and she leaned over Terra to capture Raven in a hug. "Oh Raven, you have learned a new power! This is truly wonderful!"  
  
Terra squirmed under the weight of her two female teammates and poked Starfire in the shoulder, "uh, Star? I think that was sarcasm."  
  
Star frowned and released Raven, returning to her seat, "oh, I see."  
  
Raven nodded after taking a deep breath, "but you know Starfire, Terra has better control of her powers now."  
  
Terra's jaw dropped before she turned and pointed at Raven, "No, wait a seco-AHH!"  
  
"This is true! But I never properly congratulated you!" Starfire's arms tightened around her friend.  
  
"Can't… breath…"  
  
Robin let out a sigh, glancing at the rear-view mirror every few seconds, "are we there yet, Cy?"  
  
Cyborg flexed his hands around the steering wheel, grinding his teeth together. "Believe me, I'm driving as fast as I can."  
  
…  
  
The group of teenagers sat at a table in the food court of the South Valley Mall, a pile of deep-fried burgers, salted pretzels, ice-cream sundaes, and large pops in front of them. Robin sat scrutinizing a map of the mall spread out across the rest of the table. "Ok Titans, meet back here in two hours and we'll head over to the theater to catch-"  
  
"Attack of the Vampire Anacondas Two!" Beast Boy jumped up, grinning. "They terrorize the scientists' camp at night… deep in the Amazon jungle where no one can hear them scream…"  
  
Starfire blinked. "I thought that was space…?"  
  
Beast Boy frowned, "what? No. You're thinking of-"  
  
Cyborg grabbed Beast Boy by the collar, "well, we're heading to the arcade, aren't we Salad Head?"  
  
Beast Boy nodded enthusiastically, "yeah! They've got that new two-player shooter, 'Attack of the Zombie Boa Constrictors III! The only thing worse than a killer snake is a dead killer snake! With 3-D graphics and six speaker surround sound…" Cyborg dragged him towards the dark cavern of video games, his voice fading into the background noise.  
  
Robin stood up and folded the map, glancing around the court. "Well, I think I'm going to go check out the arcade with the guys…"  
  
Raven and Terra both nodded, neither surprised, while Starfire stared at her pudding, "but then who will go shopping with me?"  
  
Terra stood up, knocking her chair down, "well I'd love to but… me and Raven were going to hang out, right Raven? …Uh, Raven?" Terra looked around the court for the lilac hair and purple cape. She spotted Raven silently drifting out of the food court and towards the east wing. "Right! Gottagobye!"  
  
Robin looked down at Starfire, giving her a small smile when she looked up at him. "So… where to first?"  
  
…  
  
"Hey Raven!"  
  
Raven raised an eyebrow but did not acknowledge her companion.  
  
"Where are we going?"  
  
"Hot Topic. I need to find some new music to drown out Beast Boy and Cyborg while I meditate. You may join me, but I don't think it's your kind of store."  
  
Terra grinned and brushed her hair behind her shoulder, making Raven inwardly cringe. "How do you know what my kind of store is? Out of the entire team I know you the least."  
  
Raven rolled her eyes. "That's not necessarily bad." They turned a corner and entered the dark store.  
  
Terra stood in the doorway and took in the store, browsing the walls. "Ooo… T-shirts with funny sayings on them!"  
  
Raven rolled her eyes and wandered over to the cds. "Yes, go romp, play, break things." She pulled out a random CD and flipped it over.  
  
"Hey Raven, this one's perfect for you!" Raven turned her head and read the shirt Terra held out. 'Are you stalking me? 'Cause that would be super.'  
  
"No."  
  
"C'mon, it's funny!"  
  
"No."  
  
Terra rolled her eyes and tossed the shirt back. "Ah, lighten up. Hey, how 'bout this one for BB?" Raven continued to browse the cds, not looking up. "Ok, I'll read it, it says 'I'm single because the clowns keep stealing my girlfriends.'" Raven smirked and nodded in agreement, her fingers flipping through the 'F's.  
  
"Not sure if he'd wear black, though." Terra looked around and spotted a clerk. "Hey, you! Do these come in any color besides black?" The clerk blinked, looked at the shirt, looked at Terra, raised an eyebrow, and walked to the other end of the store. Terra frowned and flung the shirt behind her, walking over to Raven. "Huh. Relative of yours?"  
  
"Can't say I didn't wish."  
  
…  
  
Starfire ran over to the dressing room, letting out a small squeal of delight when she saw an open stall. Robin sauntered in behind her, jeans and skirts draped over one arm, tops hanging from the other, and a few dresses resting on his shoulder. He walked into an open stall and hung the jeans, then the skirts, followed by the pile of tops, and finished by putting the dresses on the door. Starfire rushed in and pushed him out with a forceful hand, planting a feather light kiss on his cheek before slamming the door.  
  
"…Your welcome..." Robin stared at the door for a minute before glancing around the dressing room. He spotted a bench against the wall, three boyfriends slouched on it, each with a Gameboy. He wandered over and sat down, letting out a breath of relief. "Hi."  
  
"Hey." "Eh." "Uh huh."  
  
Robin sighed and leaned his head back, he had been here for all of ten seconds and was officially bored beyond comprehension.  
  
"New at this?"  
  
Robin looked over to find a blonde staring at him. "Yeah. Am I ever." The blonde chuckled and mumbled 'rookie' under his breath as he reached into his backpack and pulled out a Gameboy 3D, tossing it to Robin. "Just keep the sound down."  
  
"Thanks."  
  
The middle boy spoke up, fingers jabbing seemingly random buttons. "Go over to the arcade yet?"  
  
Robin watched the opening credits to 'James Bond: Goldeneye 3.' "Nope."  
  
"New two-person shooter with snakes."  
  
"Yep."  
  
"Two kids hogging it, though. Best gamers I've ever seen."  
  
Robin grinned as his Bond ran across the dam.  
  
"…Keep trying to shoot each other's characters, though-" A stall opened at the end of the hall. "Girlfriend alert, hide entertainment!" The Gameboys disappeared as a young girl walked towards them. "Not mine… yours?"  
  
"No." "Nope." "Nut-uh."  
  
"False alarm." The Gameboys reappeared. "So anyway, these two guys are up to level 95 and the green one gets shot by his partner in the back. They're maybe three, four zombie snakes from the end and he dies."  
  
The blonde piped up. "Oh yeah, then the green kid starts jumping up and down, yelling the most random things. The cyborg just ignores him so he actually turns into a snake! Like, an exact replica of the zombie boa, and he jumps on his partner, weirdest thing I ever saw. Everyone sees this and thinks the snake came from the game, 'cept us 'cause we were watching, so as the snake is wrapping around the cyborg people are running out of the arcade screaming bloody murder."  
  
Robin let out a chuckle, "then what happened?"  
  
"Huh? Oh, security came and tossed them out of the mall, right onto the sidewalk. They're banned for thirty days or something like that."  
  
"Uh… when did this all happen?"  
  
The three guys traded numbers. "Oh, 'bout an hour ago I'd say. Sucks to be them."  
  
"Yep." "Uh huh." "Yeah."  
  
Robin glanced over, "you guys want to see that vampire anaconda movie with me and some friends when the girls are done?"  
  
"Yeah." "Sure." "Ok." 


	13. insomnia: sleeplessness, stress, tension

Author's Note: Ok, for the three of you who read this (go Sage!) this is my LAST UPDATE for TWO WEEKS! I'm going on vacation and won't be around the internet, but I'll be writing. So, try to be patient while I enjoy myself. ^_^ I'm actually not a big fan of this chapter, it was rushed and feels kind of uneven at parts. But I really need to go to bed, so you'll just have to live with it.  
  
Disclaimer: I don't own Teen Titans, hope everyone has a good Spring Break!  
  
…  
  
Beast Boy punched in a few numbers on the keypad, squinting to see in the dark hall, and grinned in triumph as the door slid open with an "access: granted." He silently stepped into the dim room and glanced around. Cyborg lay in bed, his battery pack removed and plugged into its charger, which shined with a blue glow.  
  
Beast Boy sighed in defeat at the sight of his friend and crept back into the hall, the door sliding shut behind him. Cyborg would not be good company tonight. He turned and wandered to the next door a few yards away, punching in a different code slowly as his finger searched for the right numbers. He peeked inside the doorway as the door slid into the wall only to find a sleeping Starfire.  
  
He took a step inside and glanced around before focusing his attention on the bed. "Starfire… Starfire?" He crept up to the edge of her bed and inspected her relaxed face. "Hey Starfire!" A few seconds passed and then the alien girl rolled over and let out a soft snore. "Starfire?! Hey!" The girl remained immobile except for the occasional soft snore. "C'mon! Wake up, please?" Nothing. He shrugged and scratched his head.  
  
Beast Boy stood in front of Robin's room, finger rapidly pushing buttons on his keypad. "Access: Denied." The screen deleted the previous code and a new one was quickly punched in. "Access: Denied."  
  
Beast Boy let out a low growl and tried a different combination. "Access: Denied." He took a calming breath and stared at the keypad for a second. He shrugged and punched in 1234. "Access: …" He waited, breath held in anticipation. "Denied."  
  
"What?! Stupid… paranoid… obsessed… ungrateful… cynic of a leader…" Beast Boy wandered to the next door. "When he gets up… I'm gonna…"  
  
His mouth shut and his hand paused over the numbers as he tried to remember this code. In fact, he could not believe he had forgotten so soon. ''S just because I'm tired.' He clicked in a few numbers in determination and the door slid open. "Yes! Go Beast Boy!" He sauntered into the room, shaking his booty in a small victory dance, "hey Terra, you asleep yet?"  
  
The figure under the covers remained silent, the only movement was the steady rise and fall of the covers to her breathing. Beast Boy rolled his eyes and poked the shoulder. "Terra… You asleep yet?"  
  
He frowned. "Terra!"  
  
The figure shot up and a rock flew into the side of Beast Boy's head, knocking him off of his feet. "OW!"  
  
"What? Who's there?"  
  
Beast Boy rubbed the side of his head, "you keep rocks in here?"  
  
Terra glanced to the floor and took in the sight of the crumpled shape shifter. "Beast Boy?! What the hell are you doing in my room?!"  
  
Another rock hovered in front of his face and he gulped. "Uh… just looking for some company?" Suddenly Beast Boy was hugging the hallway carpet as a door slammed behind him.  
  
He stood up and brushed himself off, rubbing the side of his head. His feet dragged him to the last door and his hand automatically punched in the four digit code. He walked in without bothering with the light and collapsed onto the bed against the wall, letting out a content sigh as his muscles relaxed. He delicately shifted himself so that the good side of his head rested on the pillow, letting him stare into the dark room.  
  
The brush of a page turning reached his ears and his eyes searched for the source. Raven sat in a plush royal blue armchair, her elbows propped on the arms and a book resting in her lap. A robe hung over the back, matching the shade of her lavender pajama pants. She took in the page before flipping to the next one.  
  
Beast Boy let out a yawn. "Morning Raven." She nodded once without looking up. After a minute she turned off the lamp next to her, the book slamming shut in her lap. Raven stood up and walked towards her bathroom, disappearing from Beast Boy's view. Light drifted into the room from the doorway. "Uh… Rae? What're you doing?"  
  
She came back out and flipped off the light, sitting on the bed near Beast Boy. He shuddered involuntarily as a cold washcloth full of ice barely rested on his head. "Putting ice on that bump."  
  
"How'd you know I-" Beast Boy rolled his eyes at the stupid question. "Thanks." He tried to look at her, but the ice kept his head from shifting and she remained just beyond his reach. "So… tired?" Though he couldn't see it, he knew that she rolled her eyes. "Me either. …What do you want to do?"  
  
Raven lifted the icepack and ran her fingers through his hair, feeling for the bump. "Why do you always have to be doing something?"  
  
"Why don't you ever do anything?" He felt her hand heal the skin, but the headache remained.  
  
"I like to spend my time thinking."  
  
"Ouch." He sat up, their bodies facing each other, "so… I guess I choose the activity? Halo?"  
  
"No."  
  
"Cards?"  
  
"How about something that doesn't include light?"  
  
Beast Boy tilted his head to the side, confusion crossing his face. "What? Why? Oh, my headache. Right." His eyebrows lifted. "Wanna make out?"  
  
"No. But I like how you snuck it into the conversation."  
  
"Thanks, I've been working on it. …Rock paper scissors?" Raven looked at him. "Can't see, got it. Uh… truth or dare?"  
  
"No way."  
  
Beast Boy frowned and leaned back on his arms. "Why not? We've done everything else in the past two years. Well… except for making out."  
  
"Because there's only two of us and the game's stupid."  
  
Beast Boy nodded, "I've got some jokes I could tell…"  
  
Raven paused in thought. "Why do you tell so many jokes?"  
  
Beast Boy sighed and shrugged. "Want to go egging or write 'call me' on a car window with a marker?"  
  
"No."  
  
"Ok, here's one we haven't done in awhile; sit and enjoy each other's company without all of the stupid conversation?"  
  
Beast Boy lifted up the pillow and set it against the backboard behind him, leaning back against it. Raven wordlessly got up and sat beside him, their shoulders touching. After a few seconds Beast Boy slipped his arm around her shoulder. His thumb and fingers found her skin and he lazily caressed the flesh, enjoying the tingle he still received every time he touched her.  
  
A book flew up from Raven's desk and smacked into the side of his head. "Ow! What was that for?"  
  
"Sorry, I guess I just lost control of my powers for a second."  
  
"Just for that I'm not moving my arm."  
  
"Beast Boy, don't make me hit you again."  
  
"I thought we weren't talking." The book lifted off of the bed and landed in Raven's hand. Beast Boy eyed it warily, "your wordless threats don't scare me- OW!" 


	14. Airport: jail, jungle, airdrome

Author's Note: This is a 'general' fic, so it's not really funny or dramatic or romantic, it's just there. It's also shorter than the last few chapters, and I can't promise you guys will like it. So why did it take a month to write? It didn't, it took two days, I've just been busy with the stupid school newspaper! I don't speak Spanish, stop making me write the Spanish page! Ok, sorry about that.  
  
Disclaimer: I don't own the Teen Titans, if I did there would be new episodes airing already!  
  
…  
  
Beast Boy shivered as a plane few overhead. He was never a fan of airplanes, one of his first memories was of flying over the Atlantic ocean to go to Africa. He could remember he was fascinated, face pressed against the small window. They flew through white clouds that danced off of the wings and left drops of water on the windows. They flew high above the deep blue ocean, forever stretching just beyond the boy's vision. He could remember watching, waiting, wanting so badly to see a whale or a dolphin. A little boy discovering the world, a father pointing out things and explaining them over his shoulder. Beast Boy could not imagine anything more exciting, at least for the first hour or so. By the end of the eighth, however, he was quite unimpressed.  
  
Airports, on the other hand, were always mesmerizing to the teen, except for right now. At the moment Beast Boy could not remember being more frustrated in his life. Not twenty feet away from where he stood was a long, wide hall full of gift shops and restaurants… his heightened senses smelled tropical fruits, salads crushed with vegetable toppings, the distinct odor of rising pizza dough, fudge bars, frozen treats slowly melting… Oh, and Raven's plane was landing soon, too. He chuckled to himself as he realized that he was putting food before his best friend. He saw Robin shift in front of him and remembered exactly what was stopping him from getting some food. And seeing Raven, of course, which was-  
  
BEEP BEEP BEEP!  
  
Robin looked up at the blinking lights of the metal detector and rolled his eyes. "Step over here, young man." A guard dressed in forest green impatiently waved Robin over to a mat next to the luggage x-ray. He pointed at Beast Boy, "wait there."  
  
The officer turned to Robin and held up a small blue basket, waving it in front of him. "Alright, empty your pockets, Wonder Boy." Robin cringed at the nickname but unclipped the first pocket on his utility belt anyway and pulled out a small grappling hook. The officer's jaw dropped. "What the hell is that?"  
  
Robin cringed. "Uh…Batgrapple."  
  
An angry red tint graced the guard's cheeks a second later. "Is that a…"  
  
"Batarang," Robin raised an eye and dropped it into the box.  
  
He held up a pair of cuffs before placing them in the basket. "Batcuffs."  
  
Three silver balls rolled in his hand before he added them to the basket. "…Uh… *cough* remote charges *cough.*"  
  
The guard looked at the forming line behind Beast Boy with frustration. "That it?" Robin shook his head and tossed two compact nets onto the pile, followed by a 'batscope.'  
  
The guard raised an eyebrow. "Flash-"  
  
"Bombs. Uh… yeah."  
  
A second officer picked up a pill and inspected it. "And this is…?"  
  
"An African Death bee antidote pill."  
  
"…Why?"  
  
Robin shrugged, focusing his attention on the belt. "Long story."  
  
The first guard inspected a small box. "What's this?"  
  
"Portable voice analyzer. Recognizes a criminal by their voice, quite useful actually."  
  
"What about this ball?"  
  
Robin looked up, "that's-" the fingers around the ball tensed and a puff of powder squirted onto the officer's face. "-Anti-blast bat powder."  
  
"Hey, an MP3 player, my kid has one of these. Cost me a fortune." The guard put the earpiece on and clipped the player to his belt.  
  
"Actually that's an eavesdrop batplug."  
  
The guard's face lit up, "Cool! I can hear my stomach digesting!"  
  
Everyone looked at him. "Bill! Take that off!"  
  
A red pill was dropped into the box. "Anti-freeze capsule."  
  
"Anti-mechanical batray."  
  
An officer held up a tub and read the label, "universal wax solvent…? So… what do you and Batman do during your free time?"  
  
Robin's cheeks burned, "hey!"  
  
The first guard frowned, "just hurry it up, hero."  
  
Robin held up a small circular disk. "Silent mine. Makes a silent explosion. That's it."  
  
"You know, you've got some neat stuff in this belt. The force would love to have this technology." The first guard handed the basket back to Robin. "Go ahead and put everything back in your belt thingy, then take it off and set it on the counter."  
  
Robin blinked, a frown scarring his face. "You're arresting me, aren't you?"  
  
"Yes, yes we are. Next!"  
  
BEEP! BEEP! BEEP!  
  
"What now?!"  
  
Everyone turned to see Cyborg standing in the metal detector.  
  
"You've gotta be kidding me!"  
  
…  
  
OK! I've figured out how to handle my review replies. It's been driving me crazy for awhile now, but I'm just going to reply to everyone who reviewed the previous chapter. Yes, I'm a genius, I know. (Post reply writing note: I am no longer a genius, this reply thing is rough. ^_^)  
  
SxStrngSamurai13: Write something you lazy college kid! And if you're ever in a bad mood, just remember this; you get out of school long before I do.  
  
Audi katia: I'm glad you liked the last chapter, it is a favorite of mine, hopefully this one doesn't suck.  
  
JTCartoon: You like my stuff? I love your story! It's too good for words.  
  
Warprince2000: Well, that update soon thing didn't work out, but I did update.  
  
Fanfic Gurl: I'm a pretty big BB/Rae fan, but I don't like to write romance, so the previous chapter is left open for interpretation (and I like where yours is going), thanks for reading and I hope your computer behaves.  
  
The Mad Shoe: 'Heh, bloody sweet.' I'm not sure why, but I always grin at your reviews.  
  
Some Guy: Wow, talk about an ego boost, I usually write articles, so visualization is always a struggle for me.  
  
Dragonmaster101: I am seriously working on that vacation one, but I can't choose a location between the beach or… never mind, just got an idea! Hehehehe…  
  
Change-Of-Heart2: I love your 'Falling' collection, you are a great poet.  
  
insanemaniac: Wow, that's one hell of a reviewJ, you should watch Excel Saga, I strongly recommend the insanity of it.  
  
Ud the Imp: I'm working on a HIVE chapter, but I'm working on a lot of chapters, so it'll get tossed in soon… I think.  
  
Flora: Aw… thanks for the review.  
  
ScarletAngel68: I love that line, too.  
  
Holliaur: Thanks for the great review, just out of curiosity; where are you from?  
  
Invader Sam: Terra can (insert long stream of obscenities). And here's a poke, keep writing your short story collection, too.  
  
Possesed Angel: ^_^  
  
Sage: No between chapter poke? You're letting me get lazy ^_^. Your sister reads?! Awesome, Toast's got a family of readers (kinda)!  
  
Eienvine: Thanks, and hint taken to heart, I swear. ^_^  
  
Snea: That is the cutest face, I'm glad that you liked the chapter.  
  
Thanks for reviewing and thanks to everyone who read. 


	15. Song: ballad, lullaby, rhythm

Author's Notes: It's time to play "the reader gets to interpret a lot of crap and make up their own damn mind!" YAY! Also, to the people that run ff.net: I love this editing program! Whoever thought of it is a genius.  
  
Disclaimer: I don't own Teen Titans. And incase an owner of said show is reading this: Your schedule thingy is confusing me! Where are my new episodes?!?!  
  
…  
  
Raven sat in one of the tan armchairs scattered throughout the library, a book spread out in her lap and knees tucked under her comfortably. It was a Saturday afternoon in early May and the golden streams of sunlight flickered through the blinds, dust drifting, dancing through its rays. With a flick of the wrist the blinds promptly parted and Raven looked up from the worn pages full of thoughts to find a view of the cerulean lake, small waves rolling over the surface from spring winds. Her eyes followed the waves to the shore, watching them break gently against smooth stones.   
  
One of the double doors clicked open somewhere deep within the library, but Raven paid it no mind. She let her eyes drift closed and listened to the gentle lapping of the waves. They were a constant hum within the lower levels, echoing within every room, and to Raven they were the most comforting resonance in the tower. She meditated to their rhythm, fell asleep to their lullaby, and let their movements overwhelm her, filling a barren abyss deep within her.  
  
"Hey." Raven leisurely opened her eyes as a hand rested on her shoulder, the melody of the waves drifting into the background. Beast Boy removed his hand and Raven recognized the rhythm of his feet as he wandered behind her before he relaxed into the worn couch just outside of Raven's view; a soft thump echoing in the quiet room as he propped his feet up. Raven heard a drop of water break upon the wooden floorboards and smiled, he had just finished showering. She did not need to see him to know that he looked clean and untroubled, all worries washed away; from the dusty black sandals that hung off of his bare feet and faded jeans full of devoted wrinkles to the crisp white t-shirt clinging to his torso and damp hair dripping carelessly onto the floor.  
  
Minutes passed in silence; Raven reading her book, ever aware of Beast Boy's watchful eyes upon her. Beast Boy let a hand drift through his drying hair as his olive eyes left Raven and took in the room, more water splashing to the floor. "…You opened the blinds."  
  
Raven paused, but did not look up. "Yes, I did." Silence settled again. Raven recognized a bored sigh and held back a smile, knowing that Beast Boy watched the sapphire waves dance across the lake, though the beauty of their movements was beyond his comprehension at the moment. The couch let out a creak as Beast Boy stood, slowly drifting until he stood once again behind her, and suddenly Raven had to close her eyes as she was hit by his scent; a mix of deodorant and cologne and something that she still to this day could not name.  
  
Beast Boy propped his arms on the back of the chair and leaned his head down, his mouth next to her ear, "thank you."  
  
Raven barely contained a shiver as his breath danced across her skin. Her eyes focused on the book, though she no longer saw the words. "For what?"  
  
A finger lightly traced her neck before his hand once again rested on her shoulder. "For letting the sun in." Raven nodded, a minute movement. She was still thrown off by Beast Boy's quieter side, even after a year of dating. She heard him take in a breath and discovered that she had been holding in her own, "Raven?"  
  
"Hmm?"  
  
She felt the slightest of kisses on her ear, "I'm in still love with you."  
  
"I'm still in love with you, too." Finally, feeling that if she held back a second longer she would shatter, Raven lifted her head and twisted her body so that she could face him, the smile she had been forcing down so ardently appearing in her face; but no warm smile was returned. Raven's eyes were not locked onto those forest eyes of her beloved; but on the worn couch. His scent dissolved quickly so that she feared she would never again remember it, his breath no longer tickled her skin until a shiver escaped, his teasing voice fell silent; replaced by the calming ballad of the waves. And once again Raven felt dreadfully alone.  
  
…  
  
Change-Of-Heart2: I know exactly how you feel… though I did get one of my teachers hooked to this site… weird.  
  
ScarletAngel68: That line was just too good to leave out, glad you liked it.  
  
Ud the Imp: Thanks much   
  
audi katia: Wow, I'm glad to hear you enjoyed it so much, I love writing these things.  
  
Snakebite8: I'm working on adding Terra, sorry she isn't in this one, but she's rough to write.  
  
Diess: Thank you, I hope that this one was also brilliant… but not so funny.  
  
Fanfic Gurl: I hear you, my friends all need their own soap operas.  
  
Lily: Well, here's some more BB/R kinda. I'm a sucker for that couple, too.  
  
Alys: This isn't as good as your angst, but I tried. We sure beat those two up.   
  
Snea: Hurray for school readings!  
  
Dragonmaster01: Thanks for the tip, I try to write to music whenever I can, this chapter was written with 'Still in Love Song' by the Stills on repeat for a few hours. Then the CD died, so the rest was with my noise machine playing waves in the background, thus: waves in the ficcy! 


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